Unlike pets such as dogs or cats, rabbits and rodents have teeth that are constantly growing. This means that while they don't require dental cleaning, they do need a way to wear their teeth down. This can be done with hard foods, fibrous grasses such as hay, and toys made for them to chew.
Sometimes, however, genetic issues and the rabbit's unwillingness to chew on hard items means these incisors can become overgrown. If they do that, they will become misshapen and grow past each other, leading to a badly aligned mouth. This is known as malocclusion. When this happens, the animal is unable to eat food.
Malocclusion is the most common dental issue with rabbits. When they come into our clinic with this problem, we trim the teeth.
For some rabbits, regular trimmings may be needed throughout their life so that they may eat, and it is always recommended that they be offered a wide variety of foods and toys to help naturally wear down their incisors.
Before tooth trimming
After tooth trimming
